Man escapes near Forest Ranch after short chase

An unidentified male driver who led law enforcement agencies on a pursuit early Tuesday morning escaped in the woods near Forest Ranch leaving behind his female passenger in a wrecked vehicle.

According to a Butte County Sheriff's press release, Deputy Chris Dineen tried to stop a Saturn hatchback with expired registration tag at about 1:07 am.

According to the BCSO, Dineen first spotted the Saturn driving on Skyway from Dogtown Road and activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle on Skyway near Hollywood Road. The vehicle failed to yield and fled northbound on Skyway.

The driver continued up Skyway, driving erratically and gesturing, through Stirling City, across the ridge and on to Butte Meadows. He then headed west to Highway 32 where the California Highway Patrol joined the pursuit. The suspect headed back toward Chico and CHP assumed the primary role in the pursuit.

In upper Forest Ranch, Butte County Sheriff's Sgt. Matthew Keeling deployed a spike strip on Highway 32 at Platte Mountain Road, deflating the suspect vehicle's right tires. The suspect turned onto Platte Mountain Road, lost control of the vehicle and wrecked above the Cal-Fire Station.

The driver fled on foot with officers in pursuit, but disappeared into the woods. The area was searched by officers and a K-9, to no avail. There was one passenger in the vehicle, identified as Brandi Ann Moody, 24, of Paradise.